Within the Tranquil Gardens a massive crowd had gathered. Islander, Ryugu, and Luxe all gathered around the shrouded icon in anticipation of the unveiling. There were no seats; instead, everyone simply found a spot in the grass, eating and drinking with family and friends as they waited for the ceremony to commence. Even the merchants who were forced to stay on the island couldn’t resist coming to see the unveiling of a new class. Almost everybody who was present had never seen what the sovereign icon of the fisherman looked like, and they were all itching to see what the future of the island would be.

  Over to one corner of the gardens, Lukey could see Kiran alongside a stall he set up to sell grilled octopus balls. In another corner was Ki’ida, who looked like he was setting up some sort of presentation. Caldoon, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen; he said he had something planned alongside Triton and left shortly after the ceremony was announced. Finally, Lukey was sitting on the bench where he had previously talked alongside the old woman, who had already left to watch alongside the other Ryugu. Beside him was his mother, who had also come to watch the unveiling.

  “Things sure are changing fast, huh? I wouldn’t have ever dreamed of this when I was your age.” Leah said.

  “I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Lukey replied. "You either flow with the current or get swept up in the riptide.”

  “I suppose that’s true,” Leah sighed, and then she looked up in surprise. “Hey, look at that!”

  Many people around the statue began looking up before all pointing up at the sky. High above the gardens, a river of water shot across the sky. Then another, and another, until eight floating rivers crisscrossed the sky above Tranquil Waters. Lukey focused on them and became entranced as he saw schools of colorful fish swimming through the channels high above.

  “OoooOOOOOooooooOOOOOoooaaaAAAAAHHHH”

  In the distance a whale’s call could be heard, and Lukey looked behind to see a giant facsimile of a whale flying through the sky along the eight rivers. It had a large flat horn atop its head, and it was also entirely composed of water, making the entire creature see-through. Within the whale was a microcosm of the ocean, filled with dolphins, eels, and all varieties of tropical fish. At the center of the whales was a shadowy figure, which Lukey could only assume was Triton.

  That whale looks sort of like the statue of Neptune in the Mystic Reef. Does Triton know about the legend too?

  Lukey’s thoughts were interrupted as the ground began to shake. This caused people to start screaming as they believed something horrible was about to happen. Lukey was about to panic as well, before he realized that it was all likely part of Caldoon’s theatrics.

  In the middle of the garden, right in front of the veiled icon, a series of molten cracks had begun forming. The cracks grew bigger and wider, reaching in all directions, before the ground began to heave. Then, like a silver spear piercing flesh, a beautiful fountain pushed itself out of the cracks and emerged to the surface.

  The fountain was porcelain white and as large as the entirety of the guild building for Ocean’s bounty. Within it were dozens, if not hundreds, of flowing arches that wound their way around the fountain's border, creating something of an exterior globe around it. Inside the globe, the fountain was separated into two, with a walkway inside that stretched between two archways on either end. Water sprayed from one pool to another in elegant arches and even shot up intermittently from time to time. Finally, standing inside the fountain was Caldoon, who quickly ran out and began clearing up the cracks using his abilities.

  By this point, the crowd was in cheers as they beheld the spectacle, fully immersed in the excitement. Lukey couldn’t help himself either and began whistling with two knuckles to cheer on the ceremony. Eventually, the cheering died down, which allowed Caldoon to finally make the announcement. His voice boomed, and Lukey could only guess it had something to do with [Ripple Sense] or a very similar art.

  “Thank you everyone for attending this ceremony commemorating the unveiling of our sovereign icon. I am extremely grateful to have everyone here as we not only celebrate our profession as fishermen but also extend a hand to anyone that wishes to follow our path.”

  The speech continued, but Lukey quickly began to tune it out as Caldoon began to drone on.

  “Wow,” Leah gasped, awestruck. “I bet your guild is going to be a lot busier.”

  Lukey nodded in agreement but secretly hoped that he wasn’t going to be bothered by dozens of people asking him for tips on how to use their class. He was already busy arranging for new equipment to be made and modifying his arts. He really didn’t need harassment from every newcomer looking for advice.

  The speech continued.

  “What this icon represents is what we stand for every day on this island. It represents peace of mind, family, and most of all, a profound love of the ocean and all its creatures. As fishermen, our first duty is to care for the ocean and maintain it. Every day new threats appear: tyrants, hostile monsters, and leviathans. If we want to feed our families, then we must take an active role in preserving the waters around our island and around the world. Then, and only then, can we be allowed to challenge the ocean and reap its bounty.”

  “Before I unveil the icon, let me finish by thanking everyone involved in supporting the island. First is Thousand Acre, who was responsible for the construction of the Tranquil Gardens you see before you. Then, there is the Ryugu, who helped us deal with the terraclaw bandits, along with Lady Fuu, who created the sovereign icon you are about to witness. Finally, I would like to thank our Luxen visitors for their continued assistance, along with everyone who has chosen to make Tranquil Waters their home. Your support means everything to our little island, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

  A round of applause could be heard all around the gardens as cheers echoed from across the grassy meadow. Everyone involved must have felt a deep sense of pride knowing that their work was making a difference. Lukey was even willing to bet that anyone who still objected to having the zaurians around would now have to silence themselves after hearing about how much they helped.

  “Now, without further ado, the Sovereign Icon of the Fisherman: Hemingway!”

  Caldoon went over and yanked on the cloth, which caused it to shift, before slipping off and unveiling the sovereign himself.

  It was almost exactly like the one in the hideaway, but with a few key differences. The beard wasn’t as detailed, the chest wasn’t nearly as well defined, and the entire thing was seemingly carved from a massive rib bone, but it was all there. The massive spear, the gaze that was like a quiet storm, the bare chest and tattered shorts—everything. It wasn’t as majestic as the original, but it was just as grand.

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  “Incredible,” Leah said. “It’s just like the one at the botanist’s guild. Speaking of which, I wonder if they’re going to move their sovereign icon here. I hear a lot of major cities overseas like to lay out their icons for easy access in places just like this.”

  That possibility sounded likely. If the plan is to make Tranquil Waters a rest hub between Novus and Vetus, then it would be safe to assume that Caldoon was going to do his best to make this place look like a proper city.

  “Now, anyone that wishes to obtain the fisherman class is free to do so. Then, once you do, remember to register yourself with Ocean’s Bounty. Our guild exists to support the fisherman class and the island as a whole. Finally, before I leave, I would like to announce that there is a party being held tonight at Bum’s Break to celebrate the beach being back in operation. We will be arranging for a boat to go from Tranquil Waters to Bum’s Break later today, so don’t miss it.” Caldoon announced. “Now, have at it!”

  Caldoon simply walked away from the podium, and two islander men were nearby to take his place. A line quickly formed up in front of the icon, composed of islanders, ryugu, and even Luxe. From what Lukey knew, the Luxe were kidnapped from a coastal village, so it made sense that many of them wanted a class that made it easier to live around water. For the Ryugu, many of them wanted a class to improve their underwater skills and complement their primalist class, and the fisherman class fit that niche nicely. As for the many islander men, it was obvious; they wanted a class to make it easier to provide for their respective villages.

  “C’mon, Mom, let’s get something to eat and leave.” Lukey said, standing up. Leah followed him behind, and they were about to approach Kirin’s stall for some fried octopus balls, but not before they heard Ki’ida begin to promote his wares.

  “Come one, come all! Look upon my magnificent wares and find armor especially made for fishermen! Gaze upon this beautiful piece right here!” Ki’ida then pointed to a set of red armor pieces set up on a set of wooden beams. “My armor will protect you from the worst threats in the ocean! Shark bites? Toxic spines? You can just shrug it off when you have chitin armor equipped!”

  Lukey turned away from the miser and urged his mother to do the same. He appreciated Ki’ida’s wares, but he wasn’t about to catch up in the craze. He would only buy from the chitinshaper when he needed something new, and not a moment…

  “BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!”

  Lukey looked back curiously to see that Ki’ida now had a small shell in the palm of his hand. A closer inspection revealed that the shell was, in fact, sky blue and shaped suspiciously just like the shells the Ogoronia had.

  Wait, is that…

  Ki’ida set the shell down, and to Lukey’s astonishment, it immediately expanded to the size of a person. Now that it was large again, Lukey could see that hinges had been installed on the back of the shell, along with a latch on the front. Altogether, the large shell now looked like a giant chest, and Lukey could immediately guess its purpose.

  “This is a Seashell Chest!” Ki’ida announced. “No, your eyes don’t deceive you! This shell can shrink to fit within your palm, and…” Ki’ida opened the shell to reveal its empty exterior, then began stuffing it with the armor he previously had on display. “The shell isn’t the only thing that shrinks!”

  Ki’ida closed the shell again, and the next moment, the entire thing shrunk back to fit within his palm once more.

  “Anything you place inside will also be shrunk, allowing you to transport your goods anywhere you need! Unfortunately, the weight will remain the same, but with enough strength, who cares! Only eight bronze each! Found only at the Blue Knight!”

  Lukey looked on in amazement, and at that moment, a single thought ran through his head.

  I need that shell.

  Lukey made a mental note to look for Ki’ida’s new shop when he had more time. For now, he resolved to spend some more time with his mother as he turned to go get some more snacks.

  …

  Lukey looked over the edge of the boat toward the setting sun.

  This was, in reality, one of the cargo ships that had been placed under new ownership by Caldoon. It was refurbished and decorated quite a bit, so it could comfortably fit a few hundred people on deck without issue. As a matter of fact, there were over a hundred people on deck as everyone was preparing to leave for Bum’s Break.

  “Lukey, ready to party?” A bellowing voice chuckled from behind.

  The voice belonged to Caldoon, whose friendly pat on the back was enough to send Lukey keeling over.

  “Ugh, yeah, it was our idea; we might as well see it through.” Lukey sighed. He liked parties, but he didn’t like partying. He found the entire process of dancing and singing with others tiring and instead just liked being around people, as opposed to joining in. “By the way, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask…”

  Caldoon gave a questioning look before Lukey asked his question.

  “Why was I the only other person you showed the original sovereign icon to? Aren’t there other fishermen on the island who are more qualified than me?”

  There was a moment of silence before Caldoon burst out laughing.

  “HAHAHAHA! I guess you would think that! Geez, you seriously need to gain some confidence, boy!” he mocked. The laughter gradually faded, leaving Caldoon with a stern, serious look. “Tell me, Lukey, do you remember those trials we had you do?”

  Lukey recalled the two trials he was forced to undergo to reach the hideaway, which included hauling in a bunch of fish and fighting off the armored trollfish. He grimaced after recalling how mangled his hand was, but he eventually nodded in confirmation.

  “What if I told you we had hundreds of people take on those trials and none of them passed?” Caldoon said.

  Lukey’s eyes widened in astonishment.

  “All of them? Seriously?” he gawked.

  Caldoon nodded sadly.

  “We would probably have a lot more qualified people if Dragon’s Lance didn’t do so many recruitments; however, that doesn’t change the fact that you were capable of something hundreds of others failed at.” He explained. “You may not believe you’re special, but the fact is that you’re the son of a genius botanist and a scholar. In the short time you have been part of Ocean’s Bounty, you’ve already come up with plenty of new equipment that the new recruits could use. Not only that, but you’ve already beaten your first tyrant. You may not be particularly strong, but you’re a special kind of genius that deserves praise.”

  By this point, Lukey was looking away as he tried his best not to show his face blushing from all the praise.

  “Speaking of which, I guess now’s the best time to tell you…” Caldoon began. “Triton, Roman, and I will be busy organizing the new guild members for the next couple weeks or so. If they’re going to make the most of their class, they need some basic guidance.”

  Lukey groaned. “Please don’t tell me you want me to start teaching them.”

  “Heh, no, I have something else in mind,” Caldoon chuckled. “Since they are neither strong nor particularly smart, I’m hoping that the difference in strength can be made up with their equipment. You’ve already done some of the work, arranging for new weapons and armor from around town. So now, over the next week, I want you to come up with another weapon they could use.”

  Lukey stared at the giant man in disbelief. “Another weapon? Is that a joke? You do realize I can’t just pull new ideas out of my ass whenever I please, right?”

  Caldoon waved off Lukey’s complaints. “Just walk around Tranquil Waters for the next few days; I’m sure you’ll think of something. Besides, you’ll have to work on your stance anyway, right?”

  Ah, right. My stance. I have an idea on how to modify it, but before I can do that, I need to sit down and read over how it works. Plus, I need to pick up the jawblades and practice with those. Considering all that, I’ll definitely be stuck here for the next few days.

  “Oh, and about your stance…” Caldoon chimed in, breaking Lukey from his thoughts. “I heard from Roman you are planning to modify it to focus on your lower half. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but just know that when you move, you’re never using just one part of your body. Everything is always working together, constantly. I suggest you learn to wield the full power of your body before you attempt to modify your stance.”

  Lukey carefully considered everything Caldoon said as he stared out at the ocean.

  A prodigy? Me? As if…